Drinking red wine could help fight the risk from Covid infection, study finds

Red wine is among the alcoholic drinks said to reduce the risk of Covid infection, a new study has found - but experts have warned against drinking to excess.

A study published in Frontiers in Nutrition looked at the medical records of 473,957 people through the UK Biobank.

The report studied the drinking habits and Covid history during the course of the pandemic.

It discovered that people that consumed five or more glasses of red wine per week were up to 17 per cent less likely to be at risk from the virus, when compared to non-drinkers.

Drinking red wine could lower the risk from Covid, a study has found (Getty Images)

Scientists said that the reduced risk could be the result of the drink’s high polyphenol content, which can inhibit the likes of the flu and other respiratory conditions.

Consumption of white wine and champagne above the recommended alcohol guidelines decreased the Covid risk.

The study found that people who drink one to four glasses a week of both drinks could lower the risk from Covid by up to eight per cent.

But it was bad news for pint lovers, as those who drank any amount of beer and cider were at increased risk of 28 per cent from Covid when compared to non-drinkers.

Beer and cider drinkers were said to be at an increased risk of 28 per cent from Covid when compared to non-drinkers (Getty Images)

People who drank five glasses of spirits or more per week was also said to increase the risk from Covid.

The report also recommended against heavy drinking during the pandemic, as those who consumed alcohol double above the guidelines had a higher risk from the virus overall.

It concluded: “The Covid risk appears to vary across different alcoholic beverage subtypes, frequency, and amount.

“Red wine, white whine, and champagne have the chances to reduce the risk of Covid-19.

“Consumption of beer and cider and spirits and heavy drinking are not recommended during the epidemics.

“Public health guidance should focus on reducing the risk of Covid-19 by advocating healthy lifestyle habits and preferential policies among consumers of beer and cider and spirits.”

Health officials in Scotland say that the best form of protection against Covid is getting vaccinated.

Evidence released by Public Health England estimate that the vaccine rollout has prevented around 230,800 hospitalisations as of September 2021.

Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here.